Is THIS His Plan?!

This is the first time in forty years — FORTY YEARS!! — I have not thought about the start of school! How is this possible?

I’ve always loved school and couldn’t wait for it to start. Buying all the supplies, anticipating which teachers I would get, all the new clothes Mom had made…it was an exciting time of year! Then once I graduated college I became the teacher with a whole new set of anticipations. Must get the classroom in tip-top shape with interactive bulletin boards and inspirational quotations scattered throughout the room. (And the new clothes!!) When I determined to homeschool, well…WOW…to say the least. Not much down time in the summer. Some years we didn’t break at all. Looking through catalogues, determining short and long range goals, writing up lesson plans for the year, planning outings to coincide with the curriculum…LOVED IT!!

Last year was the first time all my kids went away for school. My daughter needed more than just me and since her brothers were in college and high school, we decided it would be best for her to have more interaction than I could give. She thoroughly enjoyed her new surroundings.

Now, today, she has gone to the before-school-get-together and my son is furiously getting his summer work done for school to begin on MONDAY!! Why didn’t I put two and two together? I know how to do that! I taught Math, for goodness sake!

How did it sneak up on me?

The days have been running together recently. I have become more and more isolated. Without this means of communication, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have much interaction with the outside world. When we went out for our anniversary last week, I was surprised at some of the buildings going up in our area. Sure, I get to church for Bible study and Uncle Julio’s for Tex-Mex, but…not much else.

Steadily I have become a “shut-in” — How did this happen?

Please don’t feel sorry for me. That’s not my point. I love my family and have always been a homebody anyway. The only difference is now when I want to get out…well, it’s not so easy. I think it’s time to get that conversion van with the lift for my scooter. I don’t use it at home. The doctor does NOT want me to become dependent. But I do need it to get around the mall and Wal-Mart.

One of my Bible study ladies said I’m reaching the world through blogging.

Really?!

I have made more friends in the past few months than I’ve had in a few years. You guys ROCK!!! It does seem like family.

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Yes, He does have a plan. In the past few months I have seen that same thing too.

When I started blogging I thought of only the few people I already knew. Now … there’s all of you, and … I have to say … more is better! Way, lots better! I don’t know how people feel so much like family so quickly … but that’s what’s happening.

I am SO glad to have you for a friend Michelle. I enjoy your company. 🙂 Thanks.

Love you Michelle, I love hearing your stories and learnng more about your life – I didn’t know you were a teacher or that you home-schooled – how fanstastic!
Yes, the Lord is using your blog, you have a wonderul teaching gift and your studies of Scripture are brilliant. And not only that, we get to hang out as friends online! 🙂 What a blessing :).

Howdy Michelle,
God’s plan’s going well.
School always seems to be in session ’round here and your teaching is swell.
So there.
And on a side note, please pray for radio personality Russ Martin – a friend from high school I’ve been praying for during the last couple of years.
-Sam

Michelle….it is kind of the first reaction in this to want to just come scoop you up and take you somewhere…Of course the Lord has a plan for you and you are walking VERY nicely in that right now. He can and will use us at whatever place we are…Thank you for being so transparent….you are such an inspiration to me and I look forward to all of your thoughts…Love you, and praying for strength…you are quite a lovely princess…

Yes, Darla, for a bunch of adults I think this is the silliest group I’ve been a part of since, oh, I don’t know, high school?

But it is wonderful!!! 😆

Good morning, Tam!! Thank you for that confirmation. It really wasn’t the intent of the post to have all you guys tell me this. I was really just trying to say, He does amazing things when we aren’t even looking for it. He knows what we need better than we know ourselves. Love you. 😉

Wow, Birgit, thank you. Your words made me choke up. I feel the same about you. Reading your insights has been a blessing for me and I’m so enjoying getting to know you better. Yes, I homeschooled. I actually learned about it while living in England and made the decision to do it before I even had children. It was a wonderful way to raise our kids!

Howdy, Sam!!! Thank you. Yeah, I guess I need to realize my teaching days are not all past.
I will pray for Russ Martin. I’m going to admit my ignorance and say I’ve never heard of him. Is he syndicated or local to your area?

Mornin’ Debs!! He can and will use us wherever we are…amen! It is strange to see His works being done this way, this blogging way. But I am so thankful He called me to it. Like I’ve said many times before, I didn’t even know what the word was. He pricked me ears to hear it from a documentary about life in Iraq and soldiers blogging. I asked my kids what it was and my son set it all up. Pretty cool, huh?

HAHAHA…you sound like my husband. Sometimes I’ll walk in his office and he has his earphones on, leaning back with his eyes closed. I think he’s out but as soon as he hears me, his eyes pop open and his finger goes to his lips, telling me to stay quiet.

Russell Dale Martin (born October 4, 1960) is an American radio personality in Dallas, Texas. Martin hosts the The Russ Martin Show on KLLI Live 105.3 in Dallas. Martin has been working in the Dallas radio market for 26 years.

The Russ Martin Show has had consistently high ratings for KLLI since his show debuted on 105.3. In 2005 D Magazine named Martin best radio talk show host in the DFW area.

And he is often compared to Howard Stern, which to me is not a good thing. Never even listened to Martin’s show myself but have corresponded with him on occasion and given to a no-kill animal shelter he champions.

Well, Sam, I am WAY out of the loop! Of course, if I admit to only listening to the Word 100.7 for talk and KLTY 94.9 for music, then you’ll understand my not hearing a man “often compared to Howard Stern.” I will definitely put him on my list for prayer.

When you say you went to school with him, did you mean the Baptist school you attended? Was that high school for you?

Michelle,
I must say I share your refined taste in radio stations. Yours are my two favorite along with KRLD when I visit Dallas.
Is KPBC still on AM?
Russell (he hates to be called that, by the way) and I were both W.W. Samuell High School Class of 1979.
From there we went on to Eastfield College and East Texas State University. He went on to big-time radio and I went into print media.
-Sam

i understand michelle – but it was also my joy anyway to tell you how much of an impact you have on us! ive always loved your gentleness with and acceptance of people. and i love your humility that comes through your words. you are refreshing. thank you. ok. im done.

KPBC…is that the Public Broadcasting Station…yes! Love it. Can be a bit liberal for me, but I do love to listen. Broaden my horizons. 😉

Next time you come to Dallas, please let me know. I would love to invite you to meet the family and possibly attend church with us. We have a great fellowship. Pete Briscoe is the pastor. (His parents are Jill and Stuart Briscoe)

Michelle,
Sure will!
KPBC used to be an AM Contemporary Christian station. KERA would be the public broadcasting station there where I used to listen to Prarie Home Companion.
Ninth grade – 1975-1976 – was when I attended First Baptist Academy at First Baptist Church, Dallas. My acquaintance Chris Criswell now lives in Sterling, Va., as I do.
See you there or in the air.
-Sam

He does indeed! Sometimes slowly unfolding beneath our feet, sometimes quickly, but always unfolding. Sometimes He gives us glimpses and sometimes not. Would we really have it any other way? I love the wonderfulness of God, the wonderfulness that is God.

Amen, HisLife!! Living in the moment, not dwelling on the past or worrying about the future, just the day in which we exist. I think that is much of the secret of learning contentment in this life. I’ve made many plans throughout the years and none of them have come to be as I had thought. I’m not saying chuck the plans, just be flexible. God does know what He’s up to even when we don’t always get it. Blessings to you, dear one.

“For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you; plans to give you hope and a future.” Jer 29:11

Over the last 2 1/2 years, I have to come learn that every single word in the above scripture has a different meaning for me in the natural than they do for God in the spiritual. Plans. I may think of them as an A-Z, mapped out, set of instructions. God sees it as the design for my life however He CHOOSES and PLEASES for it to look like. Prosper. I think of worldly success. I think of health. I think of being “happy” and full of life. God sees it as an increase in faith. A growth in hope. A stretch in strength.

I could go on but I think you know what I’m talking about.

God’s plans are perfect for our lives but we tend to question them because we had a different perspective of what those plans were supposed to look like. But praise God for the wisdom of His Holy Spirit that lives inside of us. He lets us know that this is something that’s beneficial/productive for us. He gives us the strength to get through it. He gives us reason to hope. He gives us His truth as comfort.

I’m so glad that He knows the plans He has for us! We’ve talked about how, left to our own devices, we’d mess up our plans/lives pretty bad.

I’m so glad you came into my life. You and I have such a special bond. I feel like I’ve known you all of my life. You have my heart Sis. I love you so much.

Wow, Gch. I love you too. It’s strange when you’re not around all day to talk with…I’m lovin’ doin’ this life with you!

Yeah, I would have made a terrible mess of my life without His intervention. The plans I had made were much more limited than what He’s given, and I’m not referring to success by the world’s standard. I remember how anxious and fretful I was before understanding He has it all in His hands. Can you imagine me being any MORE fretful??? It wasn’t pretty!!!

Don’t know if you know this or not. But a friend of mine and I are working on a book based oh Phil 4:8-9. You can see our blog herehttp://philter48.wordpress.com/ . We plan to use personal stories from people we know and meet to help explain each part of Phil 4:8-9.

I was wondering if you were up to it. Could you read the tell us your story tab, and let me know if you would like to share your story with us. I can see your story fitting well in a couple places in out book.

I AM the True Light

John’s Gospel

A Peaceful Life

God grant me the serenity
To accept the things
I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardship
As the pathway to peace;
Taking, as Jesus did,
This sinful world as it is,
Not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make
All things right if
I surrender to His will;
So that I may be
Reasonably happy in this life and
Supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.